Isaac
Years ago

Crocs keep Norton, Blanchfield and Hinder

Todd Blanchfield, Mitch Norton and 2012/13 Crocs Captain Russell 'Rusty' Hinder have all seen the new club develop and have every confidence that the new Crocs have put together everything needed to be accepted for the 2013/14 NBL season.

"It’s been quite a process", said Crocs General Manager Pat Reidy. “Normally there would be no problem with this process, but there’s been some uncertainty (about the Crocs) splashed around by some rival clubs in an effort to lure our guys away. We don’t blame the players for wanting more information on our developments, but we have now reached a stage where the boys are ready to put pen to paper and plan their year ahead as Crocs players.”

The Crocs are finalising the coaching contracts at present and hope to make the details public over the next few days.
Full article

Who else did they previously have under contract? Holmes? Anyone else?

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Silencer83  
Years ago

Blanchfield, Hinder, Holmes and Crawford were under contract; Norton had just re-signed when the club "folded".

So both Cedars, Allen, Ervin and Nevill are the ones who were not.

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Mick  
Years ago

Norton and Blanchfield are obviously no-brainers.

Hinder is cheap, and is a plus ONLY if the coaching staff play him as one of the last guys off the bench. He should be there for leadership and locker room benefits only, with the occasional on-court contribution. It's not fair to ask him to guard the opposition’s best big man for most of a game because he’s past that and it just makes fans hate him when it’s really the coach’s fault more than his own. He’s not a starter. He’s not a sixth man. He’s the Juwan Howard or Derek Fisher of the club or you’ll only get diminishing returns.

Crawford's contract was a bit of an albatross so hopefully if he returns it's at about 3/4 (at the MOST) of what he was on. He isn't going to get any better and his atrocious ballhandling was exposed in a big way last season by opposition scouting reports that have somehow overlooked it for the previous duration of his career. Is he good enough to start anymore? Will he sook if he is no longer a starter? Is he too slow at his age to guard opposing twos especially in an era where we are seeing more and more Two Point Guard lineups.

Holmes is a tough one. He cannot score inside the paint despite being a 4. He can’t play the 3 because he can’t shoot, handle the ball or defend wings. He is also one of the most selfish / stupid offensive players I've ever seen, but he is such a great rebounder and ball-winner. The only guy better in the league at coming up with the ball is possibly Mika Vukona. He needs a hard-ass coach who will call him out for doing dumb shit on offense. Should be our sixth man. Will he be happy coming off the bench?

So you add all of that up and for my money you have one guy in Blanchfield who is a bona fide starter, and then Norton who is a season away from starting calibre if not already there. The rest of them have massive question marks in terms of what their role is going to be on a WINNING ball club.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

The good thing is the article quotes that the coach has had input into the make up of the team the whole way through. So we know the coach is getting as close to what he wants as possible.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Good signings, keep the young guns and Hinder has been a faithful servant and probably not demanding big bucks, so decent back up big in the 'Juwan Howard ' role.

I would offer Holmes and Crawford 50-80k contracts for back up spots, take it or leave it, as i cant see either being starters on a strong Crocs team anymore. Both could play a great role off the bench, but would have to have the right attitude for this, or better off without them imo.

So the coach is Dennis? sounds like they are in there working all ready just not officially announced?

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Anonymous  
Years ago

These players have just agreed to terms so far, have to wait until the NBL & BA sort out their demerger before they can announce they have the license and actually sign players

Reply #418139 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

Anonymous above is on the money. Overpaying for PC or Holmes is just the kind of thing that will keep this new model hamstrung.

Problem is, I think Reidy has committed to trying to re-sign them at the price of their old contracts, which means PC is on 120-130k. WAAAAAAY overpaid. Like, worst contract in the league overpaid.

The thing that annoys me about this club is that we are all too eager to unceremoniously boot club legends like Rob Rose, John Rillie, and Corey Williams out the door through lowball contract offers or flat-out firings, yet we treat guys who haven't contributed nearly as much with kid's gloves.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

2 different franchises mate - this isnt Ian Smythe running the show now! He had his hands all over those terrible decisions.

Its kinda funny though, you saying they booted those legends but you are kinda saying they need to boot PC who is a club legend...

BUT I understand your point about his salary. I thought they were going to ask players to take a pay cut?

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Anonymous  
Years ago

How can anyone sign a contract when there is no club atm?

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Mick  
Years ago

PC is a club legend I guess but not a former league MVP like the others, or coming off a great postseason like JR.

He's also not a leader in any description of the word.

Coming off a bad season as well.

Yeah I want him back but not at the all-nbl salary he'll be asking for.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

From the outside looking in i think its fair to say guys like Rillie, Rose, Williams have contributed more to the Crocs than a Crawford and Holmes, definatly on the court and possibly off the court in terms of marketing/generating hype/drawing crowds as they were far more well known and marketable figures. Guys like JR put alot of time and effort into promoting the league, etc, i dont really see Crawford or Holmes doing any more than they have to.

But also think that none of them deserve any real special treatment, if anyone did Rillie, Rose, Williams did not Holmes, Crawford, but dont think anyone really does.

Pro sports in all areas is all about performance, if your performance starts slipping so does your salary, role in the team, job security and in some cases your job, may or may not be fair but thats how it is, and how it needs to be, if you have over paid 'past' stars you will never do well on the court, if the 'past' stars are going to hang on a bit longer they need to provide other things, ie leadership, marketability, do anything they can to help the club, they also need to reduce salary demands and role on team demands, if they are not willing to compromise with the club on these things and are then let go, thats largely the players fault imo, cant always have it both ways. If the club just simply wants to go in a new direction, thats also part of pro sports, especially for a free agent player of any age/skill level.

From the outside looking in JR seemed to be that type of guy, so may have been worth keeping in some capacity to provide some 'extras' such as leadership, marketability, (but they couldnt have afforded to keep him as there main star and on star money, he had slipped in form a bit, if he wasnt willing to compromise with the club on these things, then thats life) but i dont see any real 'extras' that are being provided by Holmes or Crawford that makes them worth keeping for more than what there performance on the court deserves, which to me is a 6th, 7th man role and the money that goes with it. Thats part of the industry, if you are going to take/demand big bucks when playing well, you have to be real when you are no longer at the top of your form. Any club paying Holmes or Crawford more than around 80k isnt spending responsibly imo, as imo there form doesnt warrant it, Crawford certainly doesnt warrant 120k+ going on his performance last year and what you would realistically project he will produce in the coming season.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

He's a 100K player now, averaged 12.7ppg at 41% three pointers after Nevill arrived and Crocs had full team. Very valuable if you want to use a post target because other teams nail a defender to him. Can't be used as a ball-handler like he was at times last year.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Yea probably right, but certainly not worth 'star' money

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Anonymous  
Years ago

There is no doubt that Rose & Rillie had things they could have done for the Crocs on the court, off the court and in a marketing sense... NO doubt! On fact, by releasing them they way they did lost hundreds of fans to the club, literally.

Williams is a different issue and you can decide how they should have dealt with it. He was an amazing draw card and a name that non-basketball fans knew BUT he had a lot of off court issues - way more than anyone knows.

So what would you do? Keep him and put up with the other stuff or do what they did? Hard one!

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Anonymous  
Years ago

How can players be tied to a contract with a club that may not field a team next season. They clearly are placing a lot of faith in the crocs return and if the Crocs dont field a team then those players may have missed another NBL spot. Surely the Crocs need to submit a plan to the NBL soon. Cut off date must be very close.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Plan has been submitted. No point BA admitting them when BA will relinquish control of NBL next week.

Reply #418219 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

Showing faith in the club and town that signed them rather than bailing in a time of need to see what they could get elsewhere. Obviously they're being fairly confident that the Crocs will stay alive, and I don't see that as being very far-fetched.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

You have to understand the process problems with the BA & NBL demerger.

NBL have agreed but BA have not handed everything over.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

The other thing with the slit is that the SEABL are shortly votng on the final merge with ba.

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Statsheet Stuffer  
Years ago

Talked recently with the Crocs office and they said they will "definitely" be there next season. No problems.

Of course they are both great signings, but I just get the feeling Norton is going to stagnate over the next few years of his career like a Donald Young (tennis). There's been 'The next big thing' talk over him for a while, but I honestly don't see it in the foreseeable future. And yes, I know he's only 20 years old.

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John  
Years ago

Obvious you don't know the kid! We spoke to him recently at a community event! He has good reasons for staying he has a 3 year plan he is well guided and advised by some big names. Had no problems explaining to us where his head was with it all. He seems to have something a lot of players don't pride and passion for his club, He is driven and not all about himself very giving, seems to understand a point guards job is not just to score but get his team to score. Anyway I guess wait and see but I enjoy reading comments from those who have possible never spoken to the boy.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

I fail to understand who a viable Crocs organisation can proceed in the lomg term. Sue a few mill will help then next season but after that?
The previous owners coudn't or wouldn't go the commun ity model because they couldn't afford it. whats changed? less rental? wow.

Reply #418428 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

It's a new org who can run things efficiently like the Taipans do. Just because one ownership doesnt run a business well it doesnt mean another wont.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

So where is the ongoing revenue stream coming from that will sustain them permanenetly in the NBL?

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